1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates generally to the field of food preparation equipment. More specifically the present invention relates to a cooking pot apparatus having a pot rim and a pot lid assembly sealingly and lockingly secured to the pot rim with lid assembly locking means, the pot lid assembly including an inventive coolant compartment extending across the top of the pot and containing any of various coolants, and including a pot safety valve assembly. The coolant compartment and retained coolant condense vapors of heated food and superheated steam along the lid assembly lower surface so that the vapors fall back into the food or into a containment structure. As a result, these vapors do not contaminate the air of a user household, and their condensate enhances the flavor of the food. The coolant compartment may be open or the coolant compartment may be closed. In the event that the coolant compartment is closed, the pressure of the coolant is regulated with a compartment safety valve assembly. In the event that the coolant compartment is open, an aroma generating substance is optionally added to the coolant so that the user household is filled with a pleasing fragrance as the coolant heats and evaporates by absorbing the heat from the superheated steam in the food cooking chamber. The coolant may be water, a wax composition, an oil composition, or an ice pack in the form of an envelope filled with water which is frozen by the user prior to insertion into the coolant compartment. Use of other coolants is contemplated.
The lid assembly includes a closure wall for fitting entirely across and closing the pot rim, having rim locking means at the closure wall periphery. At least a portion of, and preferably all of the closure wall functions as the coolant compartment bottom wall. A circumferential coolant compartment side wall is sealingly joined to and extends upwardly from the compartment bottom wall to a compartment side wall upper end. When the coolant compartment is sealed, a coolant compartment top wall extends across and sealingly meets the compartment side wall upper end, so that the compartment is closed.
2. Description of the Prior Art
There have long been cooking pots including pressure cookers for cooking various foods. A problem with these prior cooking pots has been that they release food vapors into the surrounding atmosphere which may be unwanted by the home or business owner and which can linger and permeate porous surfaces.
It is thus an object of the present invention to provide a cooking pot apparatus having an inventive pot lid which seals the cooking pot and does not have to release food vapors into the surrounding air because it absorbs and transfers away sufficient quantities of heat from the interior of the cooking pot to prevent pot internal pressure levels from exceeding the safe containment level of the cooking pot and lid. Thus, while this discloses a means of preventing the aromas of cooking from contaminating a cooking environment, it inventively discloses a means of removing heat from the cooking compartment without the build up of excessive pressure therein.
It is another object of the present invention to provide such a cooking pot apparatus which can release selected, pleasant aromas into the air in place of food vapors.
It is still another object of the present invention to provide such a cooking pot apparatus in which the lid assembly contains a coolant which for some embodiments can be frozen in advance of cooking and placed into the lid assembly to more efficiently absorb heat.
It is finally an object of the present invention to provide such a cooking pot apparatus or separate cooking pot lid assembly which is safe, reliable and relatively inexpensive to manufacture.
The present invention accomplishes the above-stated objectives, as well as others, as may be determined by a fair reading and interpretation of the entire specification.
A cooking pot apparatus is provided, including a cooking pot having a pot rim and a pot lid assembly for rapidly dissipating heat within the cooking pot, the pot lid assembly being sealingly and lockingly secured to the pot rim and extending across the pot rim, the pot lid assembly including a coolant compartment extending across the pot rim for retaining a quantity of heat absorbing coolant.
The pot lid assembly preferably additionally includes a pot safety pressure valve assembly. The pot lid assembly preferably includes a closure wall for fitting across the pot rim and closing the pot, the closure wall having a closure wall sealing element for creating the seal between the closure wall and the pot rim, and having a releasible rim locking mechanism for locking the closure wall to the pot rim. At least a portion of the closure wall preferably is a coolant compartment bottom wall, and the coolant compartment preferably includes the compartment bottom wall, a circumferential compartment side wall having a compartment side wall upper end and being sealingly joined to and extending upwardly from the compartment bottom wall, and a compartment top wall spaced above the compartment bottom wall and joined to and extending across the compartment side wall.
The coolant compartment top wall optionally makes sealing contact with the compartment side wall, so that the compartment is sealed. Alternatively, the coolant compartment top wall has at least one opening placing the interior of the coolant compartment in fluid communication with the atmosphere surrounding the coolant compartment.
The pot safety valve assembly preferably includes a substantially upright venting tube having a tube lower end opening through the closure wall and extending through the coolant compartment and having a tube upper end opening through and extending above the compartment top wall; and a weighted valve cap resting and cooling on the pot venting tube upper end.
The compartment top wall has a top wall upper surface and the compartment top wall optionally includes a coolant guide structure affixed to the top wall upper surface for guiding liquid coolant into the coolant compartment and for guiding vaporized coolant out of the coolant compartment. The coolant guide structure preferably includes a guide side wall forming a laterally closed coolant retaining tray encompassing the pot safety valve assembly, the coolant retaining tray being divided into a coolant receiving region and a coolant discharge region by a tray partition wall; and a coolant entry port in the compartment top wall within the coolant receiving region and a coolant exit port in the compartment top wall within the coolant discharge region.
The cooking pot apparatus preferably additionally includes a retaining tray cover removably fitted over the coolant retaining tray and the segment of the guide side wall extending around the coolant receiving region preferably includes an outward radial jog forming a coolant receiving channel protruding laterally beyond the retaining tray cover so that liquid coolant can be poured into the coolant receiving region without removing the tray cover, the coolant receiving channel opening into and being in fluid communication with the remainder of the coolant receiving region.
The cooking pot apparatus preferably additionally includes a floating indicator buoy slidably fitted within the coolant entry port, and having a buoy marked side surface indicating the elevation of the indicator buoy is relative to the coolant entry port as the indicator buoy floats in coolant within the compartment, so that a user can see whether more coolant is required within the coolant compartment. The buoy also could be elevated by the pressure of the evaporating coolant from the coolant chamber thus indicating the presence of coolant within the coolant chamber. The cooking pot apparatus preferably still additionally includes a coolant escape tube encircling the coolant exit port and extending above the compartment top wall to a point spaced below the retaining tray cover, the coolant escape tube containing any splashes of liquid coolant within the compartment so that splashing coolant falls back into the compartment, and permitting only vaporized coolant to pass out of the compartment into the coolant guide structure. The cooking pot apparatus preferably yet additionally includes a pot lid handle secured to the lid assembly. The areas of the coolant discharge region surrounding the coolant escape tube optionally include aroma retaining areas for retaining aroma crystals to be vaporized and carried into the atmosphere surrounding the apparatus by vaporized coolant. The lid assembly optionally includes a condensate collection tray having a collection tray bottom wall, an outer collection tray side wall, connection structure attaching the collection tray to the lower surface of the closure wall, for collecting food and water condensate forming on and dripping from the lower surface of the closure wall.
The compartment top wall preferably includes a valve port into which is fitted a compartment safety valve assembly sealed to the compartment top wall with a valve assembly sealing element and having a substantially upright pressure release passageway, the pressure release passageway being releasibly closed at its upper end by a closure valve weight cap fitting sealingly over the passageway.
The coolant compartment preferably contains air as a coolant and the compartment top wall preferably includes at least one air intake port and at least one air release port, and a fan assembly mounted to the compartment top wall within the coolant compartment underneath the at least one air release port for drawing air into the coolant compartment through the at least one air intake port and for driving air out of the coolant compartment through the at least one air release port, so that air entering the coolant compartment absorbs heat from the compartment bottom wall and carries the heat with it as the air exits the coolant compartment. The at least one air intake port optionally is located along the periphery of the compartment, and the at least one air release port substantially at the center area of the compartment top wall.
The coolant compartment preferably contains a vacuum and a quantity of liquid coolant. The closure wall preferably rises progressively toward its center in a series of annular steps, and the compartment top wall has a progressive concave curvature upward toward its center, for enhancing compartment strength against collapse from ambient pressure when not in use and against outward deformation when the coolant is heated and exerts pressure above ambient.
The coolant compartment optionally includes a compartment opening structure for insertion of a quantity of coolant which is pre-cooled prior to insertion into the coolant compartment for increasing the capacity of the coolant to absorb heat. The coolant package preferably includes an envelope containing a coolant.
A pot lid assembly is further provided for rapidly dissipating heat within a cooking pot, including a cooking pot having a pot rim, the pot lid assembly including a closure wall for fitting across the pot rim and closing the pot, the closure wall having a closure wall sealing element for creating the seal between the closure wall and the pot rim, and having a releasible rim locking mechanism for coolant locking the closure wall to the pot rim; a coolant compartment extending from the closure wall for retaining a heat absorbing coolant.